Vesper Sparrow

Although we lack population data prior to the mid-1900s, observers in the 1800s considered the Vesper Sparrow to be common over much of the state, and perhaps more abundant than the Savannah Sparrow in some areas. But those fortunes soon changed, and like most grassland birds this species has shown dramatic declines. In the 1980s, the Breeding Bird Atlas documented probable or confirmed breeding from almost 20 locations, but 20 years later the state was down fewer than 10. Vesper Sparrows disappeared from formerly-reliable sites like the Keene and Pease airports by 2014, and they are now mainly found in the Merrimack Valley near Concord and in parts of Carroll County.

This decline has occurred across the northeast, and as is the case for other grassland birds much of it can be attributed to loss of habitat as former agricultural lands reverted to shrubland and forest. The slight twist to this explanation is that, of all our grassland birds, the Vesper Sparrow is the most likely to use sites with scattered shrubs, and at present two of the best sites for the species in New Hampshire are associated with Pine Barrens in Concord and the Ossipee area. Other sites are usually adjacent to active agriculture, including the edges of cornfields, but not in the hayfields preferred by Bobolinks and meadowlarks. This means Vesper Sparrows are less at risk from mowing but are clearly still a species of concern in the Granite State. Look for them in open areas with a mix of sparse grasses, scattered shrubs, and even areas of bare ground. In some parts of the Northeast they also occur in blueberry barrens.

Vesper Sparrows get their name from their habit of increasing singing activity around dusk. Many birds do this, but Vespers will continue to sing well after sunset, especially early in the breeding season. The song is hard to describe, but always starts with several clear whistles before shifting to a more complicated mix of trills and buzzy slurred notes. It can be confused with that of the Song Sparrow, which often occurs nearby, but is always less clear, more buzzy, and doesn’t tend to decline in pitch. Another surefire way to identify this otherwise-nondescript streaky sparrow is by the white outer tail feathers it flashes in flight.